Absolute Zero
by DarkWolf Publications
Summary: Wanderer stumbles upon an elemental on his journeys. Her name is Elsa, and she controls Ice and Snow. But her sister Anna is the one he's watching. After all, it's not every day you meet a completely ordinary human who can carry Clarent; the most dangerous and volatile of the four swords of power, without burning themselves to ashes. Rating might change. Liked it? Leave a review.
1. Chapter 1: Solitude

**Alright, starting a new Fanfic… **

**Here goes.**

**Disclaimer: So yeah, I don't own Frozen or any of the characters. As ****Bold Execution** **once said, if I owned Frozen I wouldn't be bothering with college.**

You'd think it'd be peaceful. A mountain, covered in snow. A nice, relaxing, snow-covered mountain. All the birds and beasts would be hibernating, _should _be hibernating. Most people would be shut indoors, and anyone scaling the mountain would recognize another wanderer for what they were, and continue on without a word, understanding the fire that drove them to be here on that mountain. The need to be at peace with nature. To be alone. To get some damned _sleep_. These thoughts bounced around my head, as I gazed upwards at the lofty, snowcapped peaks of Mount Haj Tromb. There was one small problem though:

It wasn't winter.

It was the middle of the bloody summer.

July, actually. Bloody snow in the middle of July.

_What happened to winter? Climate change this bad shouldn't be happening in the early 19th century._ I sighed and pushed my thoughts away. '_Least it's snowing. _I opened up my senses and was immediately hit with a wave of power, causing me to stagger back and gasp.

_No mistaking that taste. _Raw elemental power had been loosed onto the world, and was wreaking all sorts of havoc by the looks of it. The entire _country_ was practically covered in snow.

_Great, ice and snow. One of the bloody swords I don't have._ My hand rested on a shiny black pommel, and I resisted to urge to unsheath the blade right then and there. _Easy now. I can just __**walk**_ _to the mountain. No need to tear open a leygate._

* * *

><p>The fresh, glistening snow crunched pleasantly under my metal greaves. It reminded me faintly of the time I scaled Mount Ararat, minus the raging gale that had nearly hurled me to my death. <em>It's rather quiet for an unnatural disaster.<em> My tracks were the only ones anywhere in my field of vision and I stopped to inhale a lungful of fresh mountain air. It was cool and crisp and brought a hint of a smile to my face. _Much nicer than Ararat. And by the looks of it I'm the first one here. Hopefully I can find a place to rest._ I knew there was a city to the east, but the last thing I wanted right now was human contact. People _bored _me. A sound came from the right, and I saw a deer nibbling on a patch of green grass. _Huh. Well, the winter's definitely not natural. _My stomach rumbled, and I was reminded that I hadn't eaten anything for weeks. _I don't need to eat and you know it, so quit bothering me!_ My stomach ignored my protests and rumbled louder. The deer's head shot up and it looked directly at me. There was a hang time of roughly five seconds, and then it dashed away, to my annoyance.

_Well there goes your one good chance of a meal, moron. Maybe if you had stayed quiet…_ I walked onwards, trudging through the snow. It only continued to fall, and soon I was nearly up to my knees in it. I sighed and muttered "Perfusorius" under my breath. The runes on my greaves began to glow, and I rose to the top of the snow. I pulled up my mask (which is just thick cloth that covers the lower half of my face) and continued on, leaving no tracks. To anyone following it would seem like I'd just up and disappeared.

_No one's following you,_ I chided myself. _Bloody relax._ I couldn't help throwing a glance over my shoulder, just in case. Nothing. I was so preoccupied in that nothing, I nearly walked off a cliff. I was blown back by an icy gale just in time.

"Shite!" I swore at the top of my lungs. "Bloody cliff!" I stared down the deep chasm and shivered despite myself. _Good thing I didn't fall. _Seizing the hilt of my blade, I compelled the air to carry me across the gap. A strong wind blossomed around me, carrying me across the yawning maw of near-certain death and onto the other side in relative safety. I let go of Clarendal and continued forward.

There was a break in the clouds, the sun shining through and gracing me with some of it's rays. I found a snowbank positioned in such a way that I was shielded from the elements and facing the sheer side of the mountain. Thankful for the reprieve, I sunk to the snow covered ground and pulled my storm-grey cloak tight. _I can finally get some rest. I've been awake too bloody long as it is. _

* * *

><p>I awoke with a start to a strange sound. My sleep-addled brain struggled to identify it as I reached for Clarendal. Before I could draw, however, it struck me. <em>Someone's singing. The hell?<em> The person was too far away for me to make out the words, but the voice was definitely female. A snippet of verse drifted in my direction:

"No right, no wrong, no rules for me… I'm Free!" With the word free came a blast of elemental energies that rocked me like a hurricane. The ambient temperature was lowered by several degrees near-instantly and followed by a new wave of frost. The energy tasted like peppermint and cold, clear water. I nearly got up right then and went after her, because whoever she was, she was damn powerful. Strong enough to be causing this storm, for sure. But something stopped me. I released my hold on Clarendal and rested my head against the snowbank once again. Long, electric blue hair fell in my eyes and I brushed it to the side out of habit. _Ignore it and it'll go away. It's not your problem._ Sure enough, the singer passed right by me and onto a higher point on the mountain, leaving me to fall asleep once again.

* * *

><p>I woke up to the sounds of two people arguing. I grumbled in annoyance. <em>What the hell, people? Dangerous mountain, middle of a snowstorm? Please tell me what possessed you to climb this bloody mountain.<em>

"…I'm going to see my sister." A different female voice rang out, clear and confident. _Oh, boy._

"You're going to kill yourself," countered a deeper voice, obviously male. _And the voice of reason. I probably couldn't climb that cliff face._ Silence ensued but I heard boots scraping against stone and cloth rustling. The man sighed. "I wouldn't put your foot there."

"You're distracting me," She countered. Boots scraping against stone again.

"Or there," He said again. "How do you know Elsa even wants to see you?"

"I'm just blocking you out cause I gotta concentrate here," She replied.

Another sigh from the man. "You know, most people who disappear into the mountains want to be alone."

I agreed silently as I moved closer. _That's why I ventured up the slopes in the middle of a blizzard. I was __**hoping**_ _no one would be dumb enough to follow._

"No one wants to be alone." The woman protested. "Except maybe you—"

The man interrupted defensively, "I'm not alone… I've got friends, remember?" I rounded the corner and they came into view. A redheaded girl in a purple cloak and emerald dress was trying to scale the cliff face. A young, blonde, and bulky young man in climbing gear watched her, amused. A reindeer stood attentively at his side. But more incredibly, a small cuddly-looking snow golem stood on stumpy legs, watching the redhead and quietly humming a tune. I drew shadows around myself to prevent them from noticing me too soon. _Interesting._

The redhead sung her leg up to a small ledge and tried to push herself upwards. "Friends? You mean the love experts?"

"Yes, the love experts!" The man shot back, face reddening.

The redhead seemed to be stuck on the cliff face. "...Please tell me I'm almost there."

"Yes," I said, unable to restrain a laugh. "Because in thirty seconds, you managed to scale the sheer side of a two-hundred foot mountain with no equipment." It struck me that my voice was awfully gravelly. _I could use some water._ I then realized that they were all staring at me. "Bloody hell," I muttered. "I said that out loud, didn't I?"

**yooo rofl**

**So I finished the first chapter. Whatcha think? Comments, questions and suggestions all appreciated.**

**I'm trying to put more detail into this than usual. A lot more. Also, who thinks they can guess what Clarendal is? Protip: it's a combination of two blades.**

**Keep reading and being awesome**

**~Zeta**


	2. Chapter 2: Snow Queen

"Who are you?" The redhead asked. "And why are _you_ on the mountain?"

I smirked beneath the hood of my cloak. "I was _trying_ to get some rest. Peace and solitude. Commune with nature. Instead, I get three people, a reindeer and a snow golem passing by all in one day."

"Commune with nature?" She gasped, "You can talk to plants and animals?"

"What?" I frowned, slightly annoyed. "No. Well, yes, but that's not—"

"Oh my god, you can talk to animals! Quick, what's Sven saying?" Her eyes flicked over to the reindeer, who simply stood there.

"Nothing at the moment."

"Hah! This guy couldn't understand me if he tried," Sven brayed loudly.

I grinned, "Actually, now he's saying that I couldn't understand him, even if I tried." I enjoyed the look of shock on the reindeer's face. The man's jaw practically hit the floor.

"You speak reindeer?" Sven asked me, his jaw still hanging open.

I simply moved nodded and walked over to officially join this band of misfits. "I speak everything, Sven. Over a billion languages."

The man's eyes were so wide I thought they would burst from his head. "How?"

"It's a basic ability," I admitted. _Why are you telling them so much?_ I pushed the nagging paranoia away. "And before you ask, yes. I speak Latin."

"But that's a dead language," the girl interrupted. "Why would you want to— Whoa!" Her legs gave out and she fell from the cliff. I caught her easily. _Hmm._ I gave her a quick glance. Double braids, emerald eyes (that would explain the dress) and a smattering of light freckles. I could feel the warmth radiating outward from her thick purple cloak. _You're not nearly as heavy as you look. And you don't look heavy in the slightest._

"Umm, hello?" She waved a hand in my face. "Would you mind letting me down?" I nodded and deposited her on her feet. She quickly brushed off her dress, "Thanks, though! That was like a crazy trust exercise. I'm Anna," She said, sticking out a gloved hand.

"Wanderer." I shook her outstretched hand with a slight grin.

"Wanderer?" She tried looking under the hood of my cloak, "What kind of name is that?"

I leaned backwards, and then took a step back as she persisted in trying to see my face. "It suits me just fine."

Having thwarted her attentions, she immediately cast her eyes down, assessing the rest of me. "Whoa, cool sword. Can I see it?"

"Anna." The man sighed. "Your sister? Remember?"

"Oh, right. Maybe later, if Mr. Buzzkill over there will let me." She stepped back, "You did say that another person passed by here?"

I inclined my head, slightly. "Yes. She was singing, something about letting go and not having to hide her powers." _Singing. Out loud. In the wilderness._ I hoped my face didn't show my disapproval.

Anna broke into an excited grin, "That's her alright!"

"Hey guys?" The snow golem poked his head from behind a rock. "Not sure if this is going to solve the problem, but I found a staircase that leads exactly where you want it to go."

"Ha ha, thank goodness Olaf. C'mon Kristoff!" She marched over to the golem and quickly disappeared behind the rock.

He sighed. "Alright, alright, wait for me." _The first time you tried rushing off by yourself you almost got lost in the snowstorm. Lucky for you I came along._

"She didn't come onto the mountain with you?" I was surprised. "Really?"

Kristoff started. "Did you just…"

I simply smiled, and he shook his head and went after Anna. It was just Sven and I, standing there.

"I should probably go," Sven said after a moment of silence.

I nodded. "Those two need someone to look after them."

He snorted. "Don't I know it… Look, there's not any chance that you would come with us? You've got very powerful and ancient magic, I can sense that. It might come in handy, as we're going to face a witch."

I shook my head, and a lock of blue hair fell from place. "No. Sorry. Perhaps on the way down, or if I feel that you're truly in danger. But I don't sense any malice in…" I paused and recalled her name, "Elsa." It sounded lovely when I said it, rolling off my tongue and crackling in the air like a firework. "No, it's the fear in her that I'd be worried about."

Sven inclined his head, "Alright then. Thank you."

"You're welcome." I returned the bow, and he was on his way. I returned to my snowdrift, and sat, legs crossed. _Might as well meditate. I'm obviously not going to get any sleep._

* * *

><p>I was deep in a meditative trance and far from my body on the mountain. I soared through the silver forests of the Aetheryn and coasted along the golden sands of Jarkool. I heard faint, galloping hoofbeats, but ignored the sound. I was now deep in the crystal clear waters of the Zargonian Bay, coral reefs stretching in every direction for hundreds of miles. The sound of swords and a monster's roar. The sapphire waterfall on the planet Midnight. A crackle of elemental energy and a surge of fear. I was in a thousand different realms at once, each incredibly breathtaking—<p>

And I was yanked back to earth. Something grabbed me and pulled me all the way back to my body, from the heavens to the mountain on which I now stood. _I'm standing. Why?_ My left hand was resting on the hilt of Clarendal and the ruby embedded in the tear-shaped metal pommel glowed with a warm, pulsing light. _Danger._

A small troop of men passed by the snowbank. My cloak and all armor immediately turned white, and I crouched, eyes narrowed. _They hardly look like a threat. Why—_

I saw her.

Breathtaking would be one word. Lethal, another. Her platinum blonde hair was woven into one single, long braid that fell far past her delicate, fair shoulders. Her blue dress was made of an impossibly thin and finely-woven material that glistened as the sun struck.

_Ice. Her dress is made of ice._ And so, apparently were her heels. _Heels? In this weather? Well, no one ever said you were practical._ A single tear rolled down her cheek. Still, I sensed that she was no threat. She was hurt, scared and feeling alone in her struggle. My heart went out to her, an achingly beautiful and tortured soul who couldn't understand why she hurt everyone she touched. All this and she was unconscious, being carried by a non-descript soldier.

Then I noticed the leader.

Red hair. Sideburns that reminded me that 1.) this wasn't the 80's and 2.)This guy really needed to let the 80's go, even though the 80's were a good 140 years away.

_That's a bloody reality check. _His jacket was white, black, and edged with gold. He had a muted pink neckerchief and wore blue silk pants that were tucked into two leather boots. _Strange. He looks as if he'd just come from a dance of some sort. _But it was the cold glint in his eye that worried me the most. It spoke of greed. It spoke of a lust for power. And, most worryingly, it spoke of murder. _He_ was the reason Clarendal had brought me back. The procession passed me, and I followed them down the mountain, leaving no trace behind me. _I wonder what happened to Anna and Kristoff? Bloody fools probably got murked. No, I would have felt that. I hope that they know what they're doing. Reindeer really seemed like a nice chap. Have a pint with him sometime, if he's alive. I'll pay._

**And that wraps up Chapter 2! Chapter three on the way.**

**Ahhhh. So we finally meet Elsa and Hans… And get a slightly better description of Clarendal.**

**Did anyone else notice the difference between how Wanderer thinks and how he actually talks? I didn't do that on purpose but it's pretty cool. **

**Reviews (as always) would be appreciated. Stay awesome.**

**~Zeta**


	3. Chapter 3: Inside Man

**Thanks for reading!  
>More chapters on the way.<br>Stay awesome  
>~Zeta<strong>

It took thirty minutes to reach the castle. My cloak shifted to gray to match the cobbled stones. The leader waved to signal the opening of the gate, and I passed through with the party unnoticed, cloak rustling silently in the winter wind.

"Take her to the dungeons. Chain her hands up, but do not harm her. I'll be meeting with the other leaders to discuss her fate."

"Yes, Prince Hans." The guard began to head to another section of the palace, and I was torn between two paths. Follow the prince or the queen.

_Bloody hell, that's no choice. I'll leave King of the 80's over there to be a bureaucrat. Follow the beautiful elemental Queen. Ruddy stupid of the me to even pose that question._ I kept silent and followed the guards through a door and through many corridors, my cloak and armor shifting colors to keep me imperceptible. I waited outside as they unlocked a door and chained Elsa to the wall by her hands. They left her laying on the floor, unconscious and limp. I sat on the green wooden bench inside hearing the rusty bolts creak slightly under my weight. The guards paid no mind, and left me sitting with my arms crossed, eyes on the platinum blonde. Eventually she began to stir. '_Bout bloody time. Nothing to do in this damn cell._ Her radiant blue eyes opened and she started, looking around the cell, a look of slight panic on her face. She didn't notice me at all. '_Least I know that my spells 'are workin'._

"Hello?" She called. "Anyone?" She moved towards the door, but the chains stopped her just in front. I continued watching, unconsciously tugging my mask up to cover my nose.

"Anyone?! Please! Anyone?" She tugged at her chains desperately and I saw delicate spirals of frost radiate outwards from her feet.

_Shite. Better say something before she freezes me solid. _"Relax."

She whipped around and I watched her eyes widen in surprise. The frost crept closer, racing along cracks in the stone floor. She opened her mouth to scream.

_Ah, bugger._ "Silentium." Her mouth snapped shut against her wishes, and she tried opening it without success. "I'm not here to harm you. If you scream, the guards will know I'm here and I can't have that." I waited for my statement to sink in before continuing, "I'm going to release you now. Will you scream?" She shook her head and I nodded. "Good. Liberum."

"Who are you?" She tugged on the shackles around her hands, "And why am I in the dungeon?"

I blinked, once. A moment of silence before the answer. "I don't know. Some prince named Hans brought you here and ordered you chained up."

Elsa shook her head in confusion, "Wait, you don't know who you are?"

"I simply chose not to answer that question, as it's not relevant to your current situation." I locked eyes with her, and observed my own reflection. _Not half bad for someone who's been tossed into the time winds and left to rot._ "Call me Wanderer."

Her eyes darted away, and she sat down in the opposite end of the cell, hugging her knees to her chest. "Well, Wanderer, you should leave. I don't want to hurt anyone else." Her head sank onto her knee and it was a moment before I realized she was quietly sobbing.

_Bleedin' hell. I hate it when they cry. _My heart went out to the poor girl but I maintained my aloof expression. _No good to break down in front o' the Queen. It'll just make her feel worse._ "You can't hurt me."

Her reply was instant. "You don't know that. I nearly killed my sister and I've frozen my country. Trust me, I'll find a way to hurt you."

I leaned against the stone wall and let out a long, slow breath that formed a small cloud. _Great. She's freezing this room faster than outside._ The frost had now worked its way around my greaves. "Queen Elsa, I assure you that you are currently unable to injure me in any way." She raised her head when I used her proper title. "Given a few years of training, yes, you'd be able to injure me quite gravely. You're an incredibly powerful elemental. But no, in your current state you pose no more threat to me than does Olaf."

"Olaf?" Her face brightened, temporarily. "You've met Olaf? That means you've seen Anna too… Is she alright?"

It was getting colder. I tightened my cloak. "I'm not aware of her current state of being. I met her as she was going up the mountain, and did not meet her on the way down." _Probably would have tracked her if you weren't so bleedin' hot._ I pondered the irony of my word choice before continuing_. _"I can say that she is most likely alive. I would have felt someone's death, especially if she was killed by your magic." _Unmistakable. The taste of peppermint and cold water would've been hella strong if you killed her. Like a bloody beacon._

"Oh." Her face didn't quite fall but she seemed melancholy and downcast. Not surprising, considering that she was locked in a dungeon.

_Look on the bright side; you didn't get killed by some blood-thirsty wanker for plunging your country into an ice age 982 years ahead of schedule._ "Don't worry." I tried to convey the warmth of a roaring fireplace though my voice as I spoke, "She's probably fine." Even as I said that I felt a wave of cool peppermint roll over me. And it wasn't from Elsa. _Shite!_

"Where are you from?" She looked up from her brooding and our eyes met again. "Your accent is strange, I don't think I've heard it before."  
><em>You're the one with the bloody accent. <em>"America." _Fuck Yeah. Here to save the motherfuckin' day._

"Ah. I've never been there. Is it pleasant?"  
><em>Greatest country in the goddamned world. <em>"It's a nice vacation spot." Another blast of peppermint hit me; clearly coming from elsewhere in the castle. _Bloody hell!_ I was about to get up and search the castle for Anna, who was surely dying by now. But Elsa interrupted.

"America? Do they all have… hair and eyes like yours?"

_What? No, of course fuckin' not! You __**ever**_ _seen someone who looks like this?_ "I'm an outlier. I wouldn't say anyone in the world looks like me." _Ain't nothing like me, 'cept me._ "If you'll excuse me." I got up, armor clinking softly, and reached for the door. I heard the chains clank and rattle as Elsa got up to follow.

"You're not leaving me here?" A look of hurt flashed across her face. "Please. I'll only hurt more people if you don't let me go."

_Yes, I ruddy am. Be damned if I'll let anyone hurt you though._ I tried not to dwell on the sudden feelings of possessiveness that had sprung up. "I'll be back. I'm going to find your sister." Without another word, I opened the door with a flick of my wrist, there being no handle on the inside. I closed it and walked down the hall. My garb once again began to shift colors to match it's surroundings. That it matched the walls perfectly had nothing to do with my ability to pass unnoticed through the castle. _That perception spell's working out bloody well._ I passed through many rooms, following the taste of peppermint. _Lovely taste, her magic has. Could get used ta that._ I eventually passed a greathall, where snippets of conversation drifted over to me.

"No…"

"Mon dieu…."

"At least… our wedding vows… died in my arms."

I snorted: _That's the biggest load of bullshit I've heard in a long time. She's not dead._ I padded down a long hall, following the mint, armor not making a sound. I passed several servants on the way. None of them noticed. _Ah, the clinking stopped. I was worried that I might have to rework the silence runes. _I halted in front of a door that was oozing magic. I ran a cursory finger across the wood and put it into my mouth. _Peppermint._ I looked at the top of the door, seeing ice slowly crawl across the wood _y spot. I'd better open this door quiet-like. No sense in alertin' anyone. _I placed a hand on the lock of the door and whispered "Aperio". The lock clinked open and I strode inside.

* * *

><p>There was a lit fireplace and a figure swaddled in blankets, next to a certain snowman.<p>

"Wanderer!" Olaf gasped, "Quickly, close the door. There are bad people out there!"

"Wanderer?" Anna sat up, shivering. Her hair was completely white and frost spread out in a circle around her. I knew what was wrong. _Frozen heart. Because it couldn't be anything easily fixed._ I shut the door and closed the distance between us. "Well this is a fine bloody mess."

"I kn-kn-know." Anna shuddered under her icy burden, "You're talking differently."

"Ya bet I am. No point in holdin' back now." I turned to Olaf, "Go stand in the corner, little man."

"Why?" He asked, oblivious. _I suppose he wouldn't understand my abilities._

"B'cause I'm about to light a fire. A _real_ fire, not this pathetic bit o' kindling. I don't want you ta melt, so go stand over there."

"Okay, Wanderer." He passed me and whispered, "Be careful, that stuff's hot!"

I chuckled wryly and grasped the hilt of Clarendal with my left hand. The fire roared to life in response to my command and turned blue. "There. Hottest fire you'll find this side o' the Andes."

Anna crawled closer to the fire, still swaddled in blankets and shivering despite the fact that the room now felt like the inside of a furnace.."The Andes?"

"It a mountain range," I replied, sitting down next to Anna. "So, you got your heart frozen."

"E-elsa did that. But she didn't mean to, it was an accident."

_Loyal to a fault. Admirable quality in someone so young._ "I don't doubt it for a second. She's a lovely gal."

"You two have met?"

"Oh yes. She's in the dungeons right now." I watched Anna's emerald eyes widen in surprise. "Yep. That bastard Hans is busy pretending that you're dead in the other room so he has an excuse to kill the only one able to challenge his authority."

Anna sadly shook her head. "I can't believe I thought I loved him…"

"Eh, everyone makes mistakes." I reached over and gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "You're young, it's what you do."

"But now because of my 'mistake' my sister's life is in danger."

"Yes, but she's a tough girl. If push comes to shove ol' Hans will end up with an icicle in his chest." Anna glared at me and I quickly backtracked. "Not to say that Elsa will kill anyone. On purpose." _And it is highly unlikely that she would spear Hans with an icicle. Chances are she would freeze him solid._

"She's not a monster," Anna snapped. "Just confused. And alone."

"Yes, well. _I_ was confused and alone in the Great War, and _I_ didn't bloody freeze an entire country."

Anna gave me a blank stare. "The great what?"

"Don't worry, it won't happen in your lifetime-" _Actually, it might. Assuming she lives to be ninety, she would witness the start of the war._ "Eh, it doesn't matter. What matters is your heart." I pointed at her chest, "You wouldn't happen to have anyone who you're in love with, would ya?"

"I don't even know what love is," she said forlornly.

"Ah, stop it with the pity party already." I crossed my arms and gave her a look of stern disapproval. "You're bloody dying. Happens to everyone."

Anna began studying the floor like it alone could thaw her. Eventually, she piped up again."Are you from Ireland? You talk like you are but you don't sound Irish in the slightest."

"Nah, I'm from America. I have to fake the accent but the slang is something that I've picked up. I just spent five years over there."  
>"Doing what?"<p>

I shrugged. "Tastin' Irish cream."

Yet another blank stare. "Irish cream?"

_She's not very worldly, is she?_ "Whiskey. I've been sampling the whiskey."

"For five years-"

"There's a lot of damn whiskey. Don't judge me." We sat in silence for a bit which would have been fine, but one of the windows blew open.

"I got it." I performed a heroic leap, slamming the window shut with one smooth motion. The wind came back, harder, and blew me backwards. "Fuck!"

"I got it!" Olaf rushed over and was surprisingly able to slam one panel shut.

_His strength is incredible, considering his size and figure._ I moved to help him with the other panel, but he stopped me.

"Wait, Hang on. I'm getting something…" He broke off an icicle and stared through it like a telescope. "It's Kristoff and Sven! They're coming back this way!"

"They are?" Anna struggled to her feet, and I came over and lent her an arm.

"Careful, princess. You're not frozen yet, but you're hardly in any condition to go out there."

"I guess I was wrong," Olaf said to himself. "I guess he doesn't love you enough to leave you behind."

I chuckled, dryly. "That kind of love is hard to come by, mate. Let's see." I mumbled "Oculi Aquilae" and my vision sharpened enough to see the blonde stubble on Kristoff's chin. "It's official: He's in love with ya."

Anna looked up, hopeful. "What makes you say that?"

"He's out ridin' a reindeer across a frozen harbor in the middle of a bloomin' snowstorm. Love makes you do stupid things. C'mon, princess." I scooped her up in my arms and stepped out onto the window sill. "Let's go meet your prince."

**So that ended on a cliffhanger…. not really.**

**I mean, you've seen the movie so you know what happens. **

**Right?**

**Right.**

**~Zeta**


	4. Chapter 4: Baby Don't Hurt Me

"What is love?" I muttered to myself as I carried Anna across an unstable, creaking rooftop.

"Wh-what?" Anna was pressed tightly against my chest, wrapped in god knows how many layers of blankets and still shivering.

"Nothing, princess." I slipped on a slick roof tile and nearly fell. "Ut malediceret tibi: et arescet!"

Anna frowned. "That sounded like something very rude in latin."

"Yeah? Well, princess, lemme tell ya somethin'. I'm the one rescuing' ya. I'm doin' it my way, swearin' and all. If you rescue me, you can do it however _you_ like, alright?" I stepped off the tile and watched it wither immediately into ash. _I should be less liberal with the use of my powers._

"Why do you call me princess?" She closed her eyes and held on as I leaped to the ground, "Whoa! Just Anna's fine."

"It's your nickname now, princess. I've taken a liking to you, so you get a nickname."

"That is a very literal nickname," Olaf interjected.

"Yes, little man, it is." I squinted against the raging gale of icy wind, trying to see Kristoff. "Can't see your lover anymore, princess. Storm's too thick." I grimaced as a backlash of peppermint assaulted my senses, "And it seems like your sister's getting' worse."

"Whoa! Wandererrrrrrrr!" I saw Olaf get swept up and carried away by the howling winds. "Oh, bugger."

"Keep going" was the last thing he shouted before drifting out of earshot. I shook my head, and pressed forward. It got to a point where I had no idea where we were going anymore. "Princess!"

"Yes?" She caught my eye and I winced: thin fingers of frost were creeping up her neck.

"Can ya stand?"

"I think so." She didn't look like she thought so at all. I gently placed her on her feet and let go. She remained standing, and began to move forward. "W-well that went well. What's the matter?"

"Like I said, can't see. I need both hands for this." I drew Clarendal. The power hit me like a hurricane and burned me like I'd decided to take a dip in lava. _Focus, _I reminded myself. _Now is not the time to succumb to the sword._ The black blade reminded me of Anduril, except for the ruby set in the pommel and the fact that it was made from jet-black obsidian. I inhaled, and thrust Clarendal downwards so that the point struck the ice. A gentle, harmonic peal rang out, like the sound of a bell chiming. The snowstorm stopped, the winds obeyed my command. I could see Kristoff clearly. Anna cried out and rushed off. It took me a second to realize that she'd screamed _Elsa_, not _Kristoff._ I whirled around, resorting to holding Clarendal in one hand. I saw Hans preparing to decapitate Elsa. I watched Anna jump in front of the blade. And I saw her turn to ice, shattering Hans' weapon as it came down on her hand. _That is rather unfortunate for him. He's going to wish he had a blade in a second._ I allowed Clarendal's fire to consume my as I strode across the ice. "HEY, FUCKTARD!"

Hans' head whipped around and he faced me. I watched the blood drain from his face in satisfaction. I can't imagine what I looked like but it must have been something fierce, like Death. Except Death didn't have electric blue hair and fiery orange eyes. He/She/It looked a lot like Kurt Cobain/Marilyn Monroe/A formless void. I let Clarendal scrape the ice as I drew closer to my prey. "Yeah, you. You fucked up today, buddy." I raised my sword and leveled it at him. "Big time." Azure fire spread along the length my blade and I began to twirl it leisurely. I heard Elsa crying in the background, but right now my priority was revenge. _Revenge? I've just gotten here. Perhaps I'm overvaluing my emotional attachments._ Those thoughts were burned away by the fire of my blade. "Do run, Hans. I enjoy a good chase." He turned around and began to scramble across the ice. I swung Clarendal and sapphire flame rushed across the ice, shredding the surface and circling the treacherous prince in a vortex. "Tell me, Queen Elsa. How do you like your traitors?" I grinned maliciously and felt the fire within rise. "I like mine… well done." I pointed Clarendal upwards and the vortex began to close.

"Wanderer! Don't!" Anna lunged for me and grabbed my arm. _Anna? You should be frozen. Why aren't-_

I never finished my thought.

Because her fingers grazed the hilt of Clarendal.

And I was blown away by a surge of elemental energy.

An overwhelming torrent of cinnamon and sugar.

I was skidding across the ice, Joyeuse in hand.

Wait.

Oh, bloody hell.

**Annnnd there we go. Done with chapter four.**

**I should have uploaded this by now…**

**Chapter four is the hardest part to get done, for any story. Once I finish that I'm usually gon' finish the story.**

**Review if you liked it. If you didn't, tell me what I can fix. If your only complaint is that you didn't like my writing style I really don't give a damn. **

**~Zeta**


	5. Chapter 5: Coward's Blade

Chapter 5

Coward's Blade

_Durendal. I'm holding Durendal. Impossible._ I stared at the gilded crossguard. The ebony hilt. The golden pommel, an eagle's claw clutching an egg-shaped chunk of inky-black obsidian. And the grey stone blade. Smooth, lethal, and polished to a shine. _This is not my sword. _

"Wanderer?" I looked up from the ice in shock. Anna was holding Clarent. And she was _not_ burning to ashes. "What's happening?"

"Anna, listen to me. Put the sword down. Gently." I approached in a crouch, Durendal in hand. "I don't fancy the idea of you burning to death, so please, love. Put down the sword."

"Burning?" She frowned at the sword. "It doesn't feel like burning. Is it supposed to?"

I stopped where I was. "It doesn't?" _There's no precedent for this._

"No. It feel like warm hugs and blankets and that fire you started." A smile crept across her face, "It feels lovely."

I had no words. I stood there, mouth hanging open, in the shape of a little 'o'. "Unbelievable."

"What?" She looked up from the dull blade and stared at me expectantly.  
>"<em>Clarent <em>is not supposed to feel _warm_! It's supposed to be a raging inferno, burning your heart right out of your chest and blinding you with rage! _Not_ kittens and puppies and sunshine and whatever else you just said!" A wind started to whip up and I reminded myself that I was holding Durendal. _A raging tempest would not be beneficial at this moment._

"Well maybe you never used it right." She twirled it absentmindedly and I ducked as a surge of orange flame raced overhead.

"Careful!"

She grimaced. "Oh, sorry."

"Bleedin' hell." I sheathed Durendal and began inching forward. "Please sheathe it."

"Sure thing! Uh," she paused and looked around herself, "I don't see one."

"You've still got my cloak on. Left pocket."  
>A quizzical eyebrow was raised in my direction. "A sheath would <em>not<em> fit in that tiny thing."

I grinned despite the apparent danger of being seared to a crisp. "Trust me."

She reached a hand in and was surprised when her entire arm slipped into a tiny pocket no bigger than her fist. "How…?"

I declined to answer and she soon produced a dark green sheath. It had a gilded horse head on each side with emerald eyes. "From Rohan," I pronounced proudly. "Say what you will but the horsemen do fine goldwork."

Anna sheathed Clarent, much to my relief. "Um… where do I put it?"

"Across your belt?" I finally made it over and snatched my cloak back. "Oh, do you not have one? Sling it on your back, then." _I'm not entirely comfortable with an untrained person carrying a sword of power… but it seems to have taken a liking to her._

"What exactly is happening?" Elsa approached cautiously. "What's with the sword?"  
>"I dunno," Anna replied with a smile that was far too bright for someone carrying that cursed blade. "But it's really awesome. You should try-"<p>

"No, no she shouldn't." I stepped between the two sisters, arms crossed and glaring at Anna. "That's a sword of _fire_. Just because it feels nice to you doesn't mean you should hand it to the bloody ice elemental. Probably melt her alive." I watched them both wince, _Good. The sword is not a toy and should be treated with respect._ "On the note of melting, how the hell did you manage to thaw yourself?"

Elsa spoke up. "Act of true love, right? I hugged her and she de-thawed."

"Ah, the love between sisters." I couldn't resist a wry grin. "You were crying, weren't ya."

Her cheeks flushed pink. "Yes."

"Well it's better than the 'true love's kiss' thing anyways." I brushed down my cloak and re-arranged the various things in my pockets. "The answer's love, by the way."

"What?"

"Love," I restated. "It's how you thaw the storm." _In hindsight it would have been better to mention that earlier._ _Timing._ I watched the sudden realization take hold and her face brightened to a smile.

"Love. It's that simple?"

"Yep."

Her smile grew wider, and she snapped her fingers confidently. All the snow, ice and slurry dissipated in a single moment. I found myself on the deck of a ship which rocked back and forth in the newly freed waters. I offered another smile. "Impressive."

Her cheeks flushed pink again. "Thank you, Wanderer."

I nodded and turned to look at one very scared and nearly singed prince. "Now what do we do with the bloody near-murderer?"

Kristoff glared daggers at the prince. "I know exactly what to-"

Anna sighed and put arm out, stopping Kristoff in his tracks., "I'll deal with him." She marched towards the now-soggy Hans who attempted to scramble to his feet.

"A-anna? Bu-but she froze your heart!"

Anna stopped, and turned her back on him with a 'humph'. "The only frozen heart around here is yours."

Hans stared at her in silent shock. I, for my part, was holding back my laughter/the urge to gut him where he stood. Then Anna whirled around, yanked him forward and landed a punch that sent him flying over the side of the ship into the harbor below. I couldn't help it; I burst out into roaring laughter. "Bloody hell! Your girl, Kristoff." I slapped the side of the ship and bent over double, "She packs one hell of a punch!"

"I do, don't I?" Anna grinned proudly, "It's what he deserved."

I took a deep breath, calming myself. "Yes, princess, he did. And he still does. One hell of a punch. Young Rocky, you are."

She beamed, "Thanks! I think."

"It's a compliment." I confirmed with a wide grin. "Your stance could use some work though. Ah, well, we've got time for me to train you yet."

"Train her?" Elsa asked, curious. "Train her for what?"

I turned to face the snow queen, crossing my arms. "I don't know if you all noticed the sword she's wearing. That's Clarent, the elemental sword of fire. It's called the Coward's blade." I punctuated that name with a snort. "We're lucky our friend Hans there didn't get his hands on it. Anyways, she needs training to properly handle it."

"You can take it back," Anna interrupted, reaching for the sword.

I waved a hand to forestall her offer. "Ah no. It chose _you_ for a reason. Of all the people who've ever handled it, you're the first person to say that it made you feel _warm_. Not to mention the fact that you ripped it out of combination with Durendal. A feat like that should've killed you. It didn't." I scrutinized her yet again, trying to figure out what made her different. "I'm very interested in finding out why."

"Oh." She looked slightly taken aback. "Well can that wait?"

"Of course." _It really shouldn't._ "As long as you don't use the sword for the next few days."

"Great!" She rushed forward and gave me a hug for which I was unprepared. "Thanks, Wanderer!" She let go and grabbed Kristoff, "C'mon! Let's get some celebratory chocolate." She dragged him off the ship before he could gather his thoughts or protest.

"This is the best day of my life," Olaf said with a watery smile. "And quite possibly my last…"  
>"Oh, Olaf! Hang on, little guy." Elsa waved a hand and the snowman was fully re-frozen with the bonus of a little storm cloud hanging above his head.<p>

"Hey, my own personal flurry." He twiddled his hands and traced his foot in a circle. "Thank you!"

Elsa smiled back, "No problem." The little snowman skipped away, humming something about summer. That left Elsa and I. Silence before the fall.

"So, Wanderer." She began, as if unsure of herself. I noticed that her hands were twisted together and that she was staring at her feet. "How long are you planning on staying?"

"Dunno, Kuo." _Nice rhyme scheme._ "Until I'm sure that Anna knows what she's doing."

She looked up, blankly. "Kuo?"

"It's your nickname. Actually, I think Belle Glace would work better."

"Belle Glace?" She stumbled over the unfamiliar syllables and pronunciation. "What does that mean?"

I shrugged blithely, stepped to the gangplank and bowed, arm outstretched. "After you, Beau. You've got a country to run, after all."

Elsa smiled and quickly walked off the ship. I rose and followed, left hand resting on Durendal. _I still cannot fathom Anna's ability to separate the swords… I've never heard of any non-magical being capable of doing that._

**Hey!**

**That wraps up chapter 5.**

**Sorry that the chapters have been so short, but there hasn't been a lot to cover.**

**Yet.**

**Stay awesome.**

**~Zeta**


	6. Chapter 6: Wordplay

**Double update because I didn't write anything over the holidaze... sorry about that.  
>~Zeta<strong>

"Excuse me, dear."

I peeled one eye open to see a kindly, plump woman smiling at me.  
>"The castle has plenty of guest accommodations. You needn't have slept in the garden."<p>

I closed my eyes and rubbed them. "It was entirely by choice that I slept in the garden. Thank you for being concerned, but I'm fine." I had fallen asleep with my back against a large chestnut tree, legs crossed, in a bed of soft green grass dotted with tulips of all colors. "Would you happen to know where the queen is?"

"She's in her room, dear. Do you need me to-"

I shook my head, "No thank you, Gerda. I can find my way." I got to my feet and pulled the hood of my cloak back, smiling as the sun peeked through some clouds. "Lovely weather."

Gerda nodded. "Ah yes. Much better than yesterday, thanks to the Queen."

I nodded politely and made to leave. I was halfway across the courtyard before Greda called my name. "Master Wanderer?"

I turned. "Yes?"

"How did you know my name?"

I shrugged, "Simple parlor trick, really." I then left the radiant garden, passing by a bed of white roses. I stooped to pick one and continued on my way. My stomach growled, even more insistently than yesterday. _For god's sake, shut up! I'll feed you soon but right now there are more important things to do._ My heightened senses picked up the distinct aroma of frying bacon and cooking waffles. _That_ didn't help my stomach in the slightest. I tried ignoring my sudden need for bacon and pressed on into the castle. _Good god that bacon smells delicious. No, focus, dammit! You don't even need food, you just want it. _

It took all my willpower just to walk in the other direction.

Seriously.

Can you have withdrawals from bacon?

I feel like that's what's happening.

Haven't eaten in three weeks.

I shook the thoughts from my head and opened my senses to the taste of peppermint. I followed it to a room that smelled like ancient parchments. I pushed open the door and found myself in a library. The librarian paid me no mind as I headed towards the back and found Elsa, sitting at a desk, surrounded by stacks of books and crumpled wads of paper.

"No…" She crumpled up another sheet and tossed it behind her. "That's not right either."

"What's not right?" She jumped at the sound of my voice.

"Oh! Wanderer, hi. Didn't know you were in here."  
>"I just came looking for you. Anna's not around and-" I took a closer look at the stack of papers, "What in the hell drove you do paperwork this early in the day?"<p>

Elsa laughed, "It's twelve in the afternoon, Wanderer."

"Exactly," I said, pulling up a stool. "It's never time to do paperwork."

She shook her head, still smiling. "I have to run a country. Paperwork's part of that process. Besides, I'm writing a very important proclamation to one Duke of Weaselton."

I looked closer at the spelling on one to the papers. "You mean Weselton, right?"

"The duke tries to convince everyone that's how it's pronounced." She rolled her pale blue eyes, "But no one's buying that."

"What are you proclaiming, Belle Glace?" I picked up a crumpled up sheet of paper, unfolding it carefully. "Hereby I, Queen or Arendelle, formally end all of our dealings with…" I looked out from behind the paper, "What's the matter with this?"

"Too formal." She propped herself up with an elbow, "I want it to have a personal jab too, you know? I want it to sound like it came from me."

I leaned back as I changed my stool into a plush leather armchair. "Do you want my professional writing or my personal style?" But she wasn't listening, instead sitting bolt upright and examining the stool that was now a chair.

"Did you…?" She poked the chair questioningly.

I shook my head with slight smile. "No idea what you're talking about, Belle Glace." I instead reached for the quill and a sheet of paper. I chewed on the end, pondering what to say. _Something formal, but with a personal jab. That should be simple enough. _ I glanced over at the discarded proclamation and read it again. _Just make it sound like Elsa wrote it. _I dipped the quill in the inkwell, hesitated, and then began to write while using my legs as a temporary table. The silent library reminded me of Alexandria. _It's a shame I had to burn that to the ground. _Unconsciously, I changed the brilliant white feather into a gilded ballpoint pen halfway through the letter, clicking it closed after I finished. "There. What do you think of that?" She took the letter from my hand and read aloud;

"Arendelle will henceforth and forever no longer do business of any sort with Weaseltown." A smile crossed Elsa's face and she chuckled, "_Weasel _town. Perfect." She grabbed the rather large, ornate stamp that had been resting on her desk and and thumped it with enthusiasm. "I'll get this to Kai right away." I nodded and leaned back in the chair, content to rest for a while. _It's nice to be in a library that isn't burning to the ground. I feel horrible about Alexandria now._ I let my thoughts go, because Elsa was on the verge of asking me something. I opened one eye expectantly.

"Is this your professional writing?" I nodded in reply, and she raised an eyebrow. "What you you have said personally?"

I felt a grin ghost across my face. "Do you want to know?" She nodded, and I cleared my throat. "Ahem. Dear duke, burn in hell you piece of shit, sincerely Queen Elsa. Ps: leave my country or I'll turn your balls into ice pops and feed them to my snow monster."

Silence.

I don't know how I expected her to react, but laughter was definitely not on that list. It sounded like a cool breeze rustling a thousand tiny prayer bells as a brook babbled uphill. Yes, uphill. I know what I said. Screw you.

Anyways, I couldn't fight the smile that wormed it's way onto my face. Let the uphill thing go already. "If that's wrapped up, would you mind showing me to breakfast/lunch? The bacon smells heavenly."

"Certainly." She held out a hand, "If you would, ah, turn my quill back?" I complied and tapped the pen against the arm of my chair. I handed over the quill and pushed the stool back to where I found it.

"Right," I muttered. "It's not even invented yet. Bloody stupid." _1888. That's nearly forty years from now._ And I was just thinking about one of the many times I forestalled humanity's advancement… But enough on that. Bacon awaits. Rather, bacon await_ed._

* * *

><p>I sat at an overspread table, sated for the moment. A trail of discarded dishes attested to my culinary rampage. Four whole sides of bacon, fifteen waffles, several mugs of ale, about a gallon of syrup and a whole turkey had failed to satisfy my hunger. Don't fucking judge me.<p>

Elsa was staring at me like she expected me to pop. "I've never seen anyone eat so _much._"

I grimaced, "The last meal I had was some stale tortilla chips and expired salsa, and that was three bloody weeks ago."

"Sawl-sa? Tortee-ya chips?" Her mouth contorted as she spoke the unfamiliar words. "Your food has strange names."

"Well, it's not stranger than svinekoteletter." I downed another mug of ale.

She tilted her head slightly, questioning. "What's strange about pork chops?"

I waved her question away and reached across the table to spear another waffle with my fork. "Nothing. Forget I mentioned it." _Well, at least my translation curse is still working._ I subconsciously sought out the ring on my third finger and rubbed my thumb on the iron band as I bit into the crunchy-on-the-outside, fluffy on the inside waffle. The inscription, ᛬ᛗᚪᚣᛣ᛫ᛋᛈᛖᛖᚳᚻ᛫ᚾᚩᚹᚾ᛬, rose to the surface, glowing with a faint light. I rubbed the band again and the inscription faded, until the band was just plain grey again. "Do you know where your sister is?"

Elsa nodded, "I think she left with Kristoff to go get some-" her eyes drifted into the distance and she bit her lip wistfully, "-chocolate."

It's hard to laugh without choking when your mouth is full of heavenly waffle. I managed just fine. "So you're a chocoholic then, huh? I don't really care for the stuff, 'less it's dark and bitter." I finished off the waffle. If I didn't slow down soon I might end up making a dent in their pantry. It was with great sadness that I resigned myself to a mug of ale. "Did you happen see her before she left?"

"Yes." Elsa waved a hand and a servant came and cleared away the rest of the dishes. She still had that sword you gave her."

I tried to hide my annoyance. Why did everyone think I'd parted with Clarent willingly? "Correction, the sword _chose_ her. I didn't give it to her. She's an ordinary human and the sword should be burning her alive."

Elsa nearly jumped out of her seat. "It what?!"

I held out a hand. "Relax. She's going to be fine." _As long as she doesn't try waving the sword around. Or wielding it in general. _"We _should_ find her though." I tipped my mug back only to find it empty, and with a sigh I got to my feet with a slight smile. "C'mon. We might even be able to hit the candy shop on the way back."

* * *

><p>"...and that's why he tried to chop my head off," Elsa finished as we rounded the corner. I detected a whiff of cinnamon-sugar and nearly closed my eyes to savor it before I caught myself. and winced.<p>

"Really? Well, I can't say it's your fault at all. Your sister should have known better than to try and marry a guy she just met. That and your parents _completely_ ignored the troll's warning about fear being your worst enemy and prevented you from learning how to properly control your powers. Instead, you got locked in your room until you were eighteen and developed a _bit_ of a freedom complex after you opened the doors. All in all though, I think you handled it pretty well. Apart from the whole almost-freezing your country bit. It could have always been worse. You could have turned out to be evil and frozen the whole country anyways." I flicked a strand of hair out of my face, "So good job on that." _I should look into finding that Lexicon on Ice and Snow. What was it called? __᛬ᚹᛁᚾᛏᛖᚱ᛫ᚹᚪᚱᛚᚩᛤ᛬__? __᛬ᛄᚢᛥ᛫ᚹᛁᚾᛏᛖᚱ᛫ᛁᚠ᛫ᚣᚢ᛫ᛈᛚᛖᚪᚣᛋ᛬__? _

I think in runes on occasion. Thinking in Latin can be dangerous, but runes themselves require a physical medium in order to access power. I use Anglo-Saxon Futorch, in case you were wondering.

"Thanks, Wanderer." I turned to see Elsa smiling at me, and I smiled back.

"It's nothing, Belle Glace. I'm being honest." The electric-blue strand of hair was back in my face and I gave up, tucking it behind my ear, adding a haircut to my list of things to do. The cinnamon-sugar scent was getting stronger as we strolled down the street, and underneath was a much subtler scent… the scent of ashes and burnt amber. _At least she's carrying Clarent. Better than leaving it lying around I suppose._ What bothered me was that I could smell the ash. The sheath I'd given her was supposed to contain Clarent's powers completely. It was leaking somehow, and that would attract… things that I didn't want to deal with at the moment. I pulled my cloak tighter around myself, "This the shop?" Elsa nodded and I opened my second sight as we headed inside. _Just a bunch of ordinary auras, and nothing to worry about, _ I consoled myself as I looked around. And I was right, ordinary. The man behind the counter? A rich, dark brown laced with streaks of silver flowed around him in a hazy cloud. A woman and her child stood hand in hand, a emerald green cloud mixing with a dull gold puddle, intersecting with spirals of violet. I looked at Elsa. Her aura clung tightly to her, a platinum and ice-blue that swirled with the ferocity of a blizzard. A few streaks of a bright gold blossomed and shone through the blizzard before being quickly swept away in the storm. A few small ley-lines ran throughout the store, but they seemed balanced, a normal, bright, healthy yellow. I relaxed, and closed my second sight. There was nothing to see here.

I was right.  
>Somewhat.<br>A flash of light and a huge boom sounded from right outside the window.  
>Bloody hell, I didn't even get any chocolate.<p>

**Well that was fun.  
>Explosions already?! MADNESS<br>Thanks for reading and if you feel like it leave a review.  
>Stay Awesome.<strong>

**~᛬ᛋᛖᛏᚪ᛬**


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